Outted
by El-Maybonics
Summary: It was a long road to get to this point, but now they're official. Now, Kensi and Deeks are dating. A "Revenge-verse" tale, in two parts.
1. First

**A/N:-** This takes place following "Revenge" and "Privileges," and features an established Densi. You don't need to have read those, but it'd be nice. Two-shot.  
**Rating:-** T… possibly. I'll see if that lasts as long as the last time I planned that.  
**Disclaimer:-** Despite doing things with these characters, I do not own them. They're from the awesome show NCIS Los Angeles. As if you didn't already know that.

* * *

The white page taunted Kensi, cursor flashing in what could only be described as a mocking pace. She drummed her fingers on the keyboard, nails rapping out a rhythm. Her dark eyes flicked to the side of the screen: 17:30. Thirty minutes until quitting time, provided nothing came up at the last minute. _Please God_, she thought, _don't let anything come up at the last minute_. If it did, there was no telling what time of night they might get out the door, and she didn't want that to happen today. Not today, of all days.

Idly, she sucked on her bottom lip, returned her attention to the teasingly blank document in front of her and willed herself to focus on her work. It wasn't that she needed to have the report done ASAP, it'd keep over the weekend, but she'd already been to the firing range today already, and needed to keep herself occupied. Normally, she'd just browse the net, using the Office of Special Projects' incredibly fast and secure broadband connection, but she wasn't alone in the bullpen.

Deeks had ploughed through his own stack of files and reports with a gusto unseen before, raising more than one eyebrow from the others, and a flurry of comments he deflected with ease. Now, he was in the gym, working some Sayoc with Sam. Well, working was probably being generous; there was no doubt the ex-SEAL was making her partner suffer. It was the reason she'd avoided the gym today; she couldn't afford any bruises or cuts tonight. So that left her with the other senior agent of the team. Callen sat at his desk, as engrossed in his paperwork as she pretended to be in her own.

Kensi glanced at the time again: 17:30. _What? How is that even possible?_

Nothing was coming. Everything she needed to write was blurring in her head, spinning and racing, bouncing off the walls of her skull, but nothing would stick around long enough for her to put it down on the page in anything that resembled logic.

17:31. _Seriously?_

She breathed in, letting the air fill her lungs, willing herself to calm. But she was anything but calm. She'd been looking forward to tonight for days, and now that the end of the working day was approaching, time seemed to be stretching to almost unbearable levels.

17:32.

"So," said Callen, the suddenness of his voice seeming unnaturally loud and shocking her from her reverie. "What have you got planned for tonight?"

She flicked her eyes to the side at him; he seemed just as immersed in his computer as he had been a moment before.

"Oh, you know…" she said. "The usual. Food, Top Model, long bath."

"Nice try, Kensi. Where's Deeks taking you?"

"What do you…?" she began, only for him to interrupt.

"Or don't you know?" He finally turned to face her, a grin on his face. When he saw the clear confusion on her, his face brightened. "He hasn't told you, has he?"

Kensi deflated. Of course Callen would know. Neither she nor Deeks had told anyone – well, she was one hundred percent sure _she_ hadn't told anyone – but she really shouldn't be surprised any more that their private life wasn't as private as they'd like. "No."

"Oh, you'll like it," Callen said, laughing a little.

"You know where we're going?" she exclaimed. "Deeks won't even tell me."

"We always know where our team is, Kens," said Callen.

Her eyes narrowed. "You know, that sounds a little skalker-esk."

"Not a real word," he said.

"Not my point," she countered, arching her eyebrows in a way that had worked so successfully for her mother during Kensi's teens.

"Don't worry about it," said Callen, not backing down under her glare. "Me and Sam just like to keep extra tabs on Deeks; he's not as well versed in the whole spy thing, as you well remember."

"He's getting better," Kensi said, defensively.

"Oh, we know," Callen admitted. "We just want to make sure he doesn't backslide." Then he smiled. "Plus, it's nice to know more about your boyfriend than you do."

Kensi was about to snap back at him, before his words fully sunk in and she struggled instead to keep the blush from her cheeks and the grin off her lips. She turned away from Callen without another word, trying – and failing – to concentrate on the screen before her.

_Boyfriend! Deeks is my boyfriend._ Well, not yet, not officially. They hadn't even been on one date yet, though tonight was going to change all that.

17:38. _What?_

Deeks had been bound and determined to keep the location of their first date a secret from her, telling her only to bring her A Game and dress to impress. Oh, and that it'd involve dinner, though she had needed (_physically forced_) him to swear that said food wasn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Wherever it was, chances were it was going to be pretty cool; Deeks may look like a beach bum (and act like one. And occasionally smell like one), but he always seemed to know the hottest places in LA to go, more so than she ever did. But given that she didn't know where they were going, she had been having great difficulty picking out the right outfit for the evening. She'd considered asking Nell for advice, but that was back when she foolishly believed the whole thing was a secret and hadn't wanted to explain why she needed the help. She'd also thought of asking her mother, but she wasn't sure she wanted to have any deep conversations or explain why she'd want to look sexy.

"Oh, Miss Blye." Hetty Lange's voice cut through the office from the small raised section that held her desk. "A moment of your time, please?"

17:40. Kensi stood, trying not to sigh, and made her way over to their operations manager. The smaller woman observed Kensi over her glasses for what seemed an eternity, but was probably closer to only a few scant seconds.

"You seem noticeably distracted today," Hetty said, tenting her fingers before her.

"Do I?" Kensi replied. "I don't…"

Hetty spoke right over the top of her; "Is it possible that your upcoming date with Detective Deeks is responsible?"

Kensi stilled her tongue, trying to keep her face calm and emotionless. _Did everyone know?_

"I must say," Hetty continued, "that his choice of establishments is to be greatly admired. I myself have spent many a wonderful evening there."

Kensi finally broke, shaking her head. "Does everyone know more than me?" she sighed.

"It does appear this way, yes," Hetty said. "Which is why I went to trouble of acquiring this for you." Without further explanation, Hetty plucked a rectangular box from her desk, passing it towards Kensi. Kensi reluctantly took it, opening the lid. The box was made of plain white cardboard, and inside were several sheets of thin paper, and below them a pile of black cloth.

"And this is?" she said.

"Why, it's a dress, Miss Blye. Perfect for your planned evening. I also have the most wonderful pair of shoes to go with it, though they could hardly fit in the box. And don't worry; this is from my private collection. You may keep it."

Kensi felt her heart swell at the unexpected gift. "I don't know what to say," she admitted.

"Then say nothing," Hetty informed her. "You will sound wise beyond your years. Now…" she continued with a glance at her watch. "I suggest you go home, to begin your preparations. I am sure Mr. Callen can do without you. He and Mr. Hanna can more than deal with whatever may arise without you and the detective, for one night at least."

"I don't…" Kensi began again, before changing track in her mind. "Why are you doing this, Hetty?"

"Because that's what family does for each other, my dear," was the reply.

* * *

A little over two hours later, Deeks found himself waiting outside Kensi's apartment, clutching the small box in both hands. He'd knocked, a few seconds before, but there had been no answer. He tried to ignore the sinking, paranoid, feeling in the pit of his gut. It had only been, like, literally five seconds, why would he have expected her to answer the door already? She'd need to climb over the pile of clothes on the floor first – some dirty, and some no doubt discarded choices for tonight – and that was like crossing the Alps without any elephants. Still, that was the logical part of Marty Deeks talking; the illogical part of him, the part that had fret so much for days on end about this night he was surprised no one had called him on it, was busy checking his wrist watch to make sure that not only did he have the right time, he also had the right day. That's what she did to his brain. Turned it to mush.

He smiled slightly. He still couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that Bad-Ass Blye had admitted to being in love with him. Oh, the fact that he loved her in return was neither here nor there; inwardly he questioned how any man who met his wonderful, incredible, infuriating, partner didn't fall as deeply in love with her as he had. He'd needed to pinch himself on a fair few occasions over the past several days to ensure he hadn't dreamed the whole thing, had needed to hear her say it again and again. And just getting to this point had been a trial. They'd been partners and best friends, and then one day the flirting and banter between them had spilled over into a physical relationship, which had lasted for three whole months before they'd both finally plucked up the courage to admit how they'd felt about each other. Leading to tonight; date number one. Numero Uno. Ethay irstfay ateday.

'_Bring your A-Game'_, he'd told her. And he sure as hell intended to do just that himself; he'd pulled out all the stops to make sure this was the one. He'd never get another shot at tonight. Because Kensi was more than worth it. And honestly, how many first dates to you get to go on with someone you're already head over heels for?

Though, obviously, there'd need to be two of them to make it a date, otherwise it was just him, alone in a restaurant, looking like a lemon. He wrapped on the door again.

She was making him wait, wasn't she? She was probably already about ninety percent prepared, sat on her cute ass, watching reality TV, deliberately leaving him hanging. For a brief second, he considered picking the lock but shot the idea down; that was not the impression he wanted to make tonight. So he knocked on the door again.

A few beats later, he saw a shadow move across the other side of the curtain, before it twitched aside to reveal his partner's mismatched eyes for a fraction of a second, before they disappeared from view. Then came the click of a lock, and the door swung open. Deeks' jaw dropped and his brain shut down.

Kensi stood in the doorway, looking like the most beautiful creature ever to grace God's green Earth. Her hair was loose, poofy and curly and wavy, hanging down over the silky smooth skin of her bare shoulders. It seemed to shimmer with darkness. Deeks was aware that was probably a contradictory phrase, but it was the only thing he could think to describe what his partner had done to her long locks. Her face shone too; her makeup was faint but noticeable, accentuating every soft curve of her features, but her lips were deep and red. They looked so plump, so inviting, that Deeks realised he'd been staring at them for more than a few seconds.

Down, his gaze travelled, over the rest of her frame, wrapped in a figure hugging black dress, strapless over only one shoulder he realised. The fabric seemed so light and airy, clutching the curvature of her body in ways that made his mouth salivate. The dress ended mid thigh, revealing her long, supple legs, the skin appearing softer than he'd ever seen before, and ending in a pair of black strappy heels that added a least another three inches to her height. His eyes traipsed their way up her dangerous curves again, and back to her face. The corners of her lips tugged into a brief smile, as if to herself, as if there was some great joke going on that only she was a part of.

"I, uh…" Deeks tried, his tongue feeling swollen and limp in his mouth. "Uhm, you look, uh…"

"Thank you, Marty," she said, clearly throwing his fog-addled brain a bone. She led him into the living room, closing the door behind the pair. "You clean up remarkably well too." She gestured to the three-piece suit he wore, charcoal grey and cut to fit him remarkably well, shoes polished until they shone.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, finally, his brain catching up with current situations. "Though, to be honest, Hetty gave it to me. Just like that, said 'Here, take this, it'll look great on your date.' All ironed and everything. I don't know how the little pixie even knew, but she did."

Kensi's mouth thinned as she swallowed another smile. "Yeah, me too. That's where the dress came from. Though I must say," she continued, reaching a hand out and fingering the fabric of his lapel. "She does have remarkably good taste."

"Tell me about it." Deeks smiled, leaning forward to press his lips against hers. He felt her melt into it for a moment, but then Kensi pushed him back. Not roughly, just enough to break the lock of their lips.

"Sorry," he breathed, her scent making his head spin only slightly less than the kiss had. "Not very good first date etiquette."

"I know," she replied, smiling easily. "I have half a mind to call the whole thing off. You're on thin ice now, Mr. Deeks, and I run a very tight three strikes system."

"I'll try to remember that," he said, before cupping her chin and drawing her in to another kiss. When he finally pulled himself back from her lips – the hardest thing he'd ever had to do in his life – she was panting visibly. "So, that's the second strike, right?"

Kensi swallowed, before biting down onto her bottom lip. "I think that's still the first strike," she said, finally.

"Good to know."

For a long moment, they just stood, face to face, little more than a foot from each other. Deeks was lost in Kensi's eyes, almost as if he could see through them into the deepest reaches of her soul. For a brief moment, every inch of her being was opened for him, burning brighter than the sun. In that instant, he had never loved her more.

It was Kensi, though, who broke the moment, broke the eye contact when her gaze flicked down, first to his lips, then to his chest, then trailing down to the box he clutched in his grip.

"So, what's in the box?" she asked.

He grinned, the brightest grin he could muster. Several people had commented that the grin looked like a lopsided wolf, but he didn't care. It was the grin that Kensi always brought out of him. "I got you a little something," he said, offering the box to her.

It was a small box, the sides a plush purple in colour, and tied with a bow that he couldn't have copied if you'd paid him. Thankfully, he'd charmed the woman in the shop into doing it for him. Not that it lasted long; Kensi took the box from him, ripping the wrapping paper clear in one fell swoop. She peered over the lid, to the contents inside.

"Is this what I think it is?" she said, voice quivering with emotion. Her face scrunched up in that adorable way it did when she was trying desperately not to break into a giant grin at the leafy green she found. "You got me a plant?"

"Not just any plant," he admitted, feeling his own grin grow. A small part of him was becoming concerned the top of his head may flop off, he was smiling so much.

"You got me a fern," she clarified.

"Strike two?" he asked.

"We'll see," she replied, placing the box reverently on the living room table. "It depends on how the rest of the night goes."

"You love it really," he demanded.

"Maybe," she said, the smile finally breaking its way through to her ruby red lips.

"More than you love me?"

"Quite possibly."

Deeks barked a small laugh. "That is one lucky plant," he said.

"Tell me about it," she agreed.

Again, the easy silence descended upon the pair, their eyes never wavering. Eventually, Deeks felt a cough tickle his throat, and he cleared it.

"So, uh, are you ready?" he asked.

"Almost," she replied. "I just need help with one little thing. Could you?"

Without further explanation, she turned her back to him, flipping the long strands of her hair over her shoulder. Deeks eyes trailed down her long neck, to where the dress was open at the back, revealing scintillatingly smooth skin. She craned her head around, observing him under heavy lids, her lashes fluttering demurely. "You wouldn't zip a girl up, would you?" she cooed.

It took a moment for the words to sink in, Deeks being too busy checking out the form of her butt in the dress, but he finally stepped forward. The scent of her was stronger now, the perfume intoxicating, clouding his other senses. Chanel if he wasn't very much mistaken, his partner's favourite. Fingers trembling, he reached out towards the bottom of the dress, where the zipper rested just above the soft curve of her cheeks. As slowly as he could, with as great care as he could, he let the zipper slide up the dress, until it reached the top point about halfway up her spine. If anything, the dress now hugged her body even more than it had before. It was only then that he realised his partner probably wasn't wearing a bra.

Suddenly, Kensi turned so they were almost nose to nose again. Deeks could feel his heart throbbing noisily in his chest, the air catching in his lungs and needing to be forced in and out. His whole body sang, Goosebumps littering his arms and making the fine hairs there stand on end. Kensi smiled at him, her eyes searching deep into his own. Deeks's lips parted, little more than a tiny hole, between them. He could feel electricity in the air, energy crackling between them. His heart raced for her.

"Are we… are we good?" he managed.

She smiled, leaning forward and kissing him. Her lips were full, the pressure soft and tender, and her hands found his hips, resting against the material there. Then she pulled back, and fluttered her eyelashes at him again.

"I think we are," she said, quickly grabbing a clutch purse from one of the random piles of clutter, and shrugging into a hip-length leather jacket. As she headed towards the door, little realising she was leaving her brain-frozen date behind, Kensi paused.

"You think I'll need my gun?" she asked, finally turning back, voice serious. The question seemed to thaw Deeks from his addled state.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I tend to treat it like I did condoms in my wallet through law school; I'd rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "You have condoms in your wallet right now, don't you?"

"What guy doesn't?" he replied, defensively.

"One that's going on a first date, maybe? Honestly, Deeks, you are always so damned sure of yourself. And that line about law school? I already know you were a lawyer; you're not going to impress me with that."

He grinned at her. They both headed to the door, still bickering.

* * *

Deeks pulled the red Chevy Malibu up to the front doors of _Le Chez_. That had been an argument and a half; Kensi, being the dominant one in the relationship – hey, he was man enough to admit that, plus it was kinda one of the things he liked the most about her – had insisted that they take her car and she drive, until he pointed out that her tiny little heels probably weren't the best thing for pressing down on the peddles of her giant SUV. Outside, a couple of valets raced to the doors, pulling them open and allowing the partners to exit. Deeks passed the nearest one his keys, along with a folded note, and the man hopped into the vehicle and drove it off.

Kensi joined him at the entrance, gazing up at the sign above the door, a small smile playing on her lips. "How did you manage to get us a table?" she asked, taking his proffered arm and linking her own through the crook. "I heard this place has a four week waiting list for Tuesday lunch!"

"I called in a hell of a lot of favours," he replied. "The things I've had to offer up for this… well, let's just say you don't want to know what they are, and leave it at that shall we?"

"As long as you didn't offer up your cute little butt, I'll agree," she said. "Cause that's all mine."

Deeks paused where he was, forcing Kensi to stop and face him. "Well…" he said, pulling a pained expression.

She grinned, slapping her free hand against his shoulder. He returned the smile, before dragging her towards the large double doors, pushing on the long brass handle to allow them entry.

Kensi was right about one thing; _Le Chez_ was certainly one of the most elite restaurants in the whole of Los Angeles, probably even in California. Once through the entrance, it opened up wide, but with a low and intimate ceiling. The walls were black as night on three sides, while the fourth was comprised of nothing more than glass panes, affording one a magnificent view of the city sprawling below them. The lighting was subdued, coming mainly from wall lamps, small globe sconces, though from the ceiling hung rectangular boxes, also black, with square holes cut in a random patterns, giving them the appearance of silhouetted skyscrapers. In one corner sat a grand piano, a performer tinkling the ivories in a subdued manner.

Deeks led Kensi towards the _maître d',_ a tall man with thinning hair, and a pencil thin moustache. The man eyed Deeks as the pair neared, before his nose twisted as if he had just smelled something terrible when he took in Deeks' messy locks.

"May I help you, monsieur?" the man asked, almost looking down his nose at Deeks. To make things even worse, the man had a French accent. For the hundredth time, Deeks wished he chosen Frankie & Benny's.

Instead, he said, "Yeah, I have a reservation. Party of two, name of Deeks."

The man glanced down at the book before him, features clearly not expecting to see the name anywhere. Then, his eyes widened, and he gulped.

"I-I'm terribly s-sorry, Mr. Deeks," he stammered. "We have you right here. Unfortunately, your table is not ready just yet; as per instructions from Miss Lange, we have moved you into the VIP section."

Deeks blinked, and he felt Kensi's body stiffen against his arm. "Hetty got us upgraded?"

"_Oui_, monsieur," replied the _maître d'_. "If you would like to enjoy a drink at the bar, your table will just be just five minutes more." The man gestured towards the long bar in the corner, where a few souls were perched on stools.

Deeks glanced at Kensi, who shrugged, before allowing him to lead her towards the bar, one hand placed against the small of her back. She did flick her eyes towards the arm once, and a small, knowing, smile crossed her lips. Once at the bar, he ordered them drinks from the blonde on the other side – a light beer for him since he was driving, and a JD on the rocks for Kensi – and they took a couple of bar stools, sitting facing each other. Kensi let one leg twine around his, pressing their knees together.

"I can't believe that," she said, taking a sip of her drink, the ice clunking against the glass as she did.

"No, me neither," said Deeks. "I know she has long fingers and a longer reach, but she's going to upstage me. Now you won't know which parts of the date to be impressed with me, or her."

Kensi smiled, shaking her head slightly. "No, idiot. I meant you using your real name. No wonder Callen knew all about it. I bet Sam had an embolism."

"Yeah, I know," Deeks admitted. "What do you think he tried to beat into me in the gym today? But I wanted tonight to be about us. Just us, no covers, no lies. Nowhere to hide. Even if it's just for the one night, I want us to be Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye."

Kensi's eyes softened, and she let her hand slip down to rest on the back of his where it lay on the bar. Warmth flooded through Deeks at the gesture, the warmth of comfort and affection. "I want that too," she said, voice thick with emotion. "And don't worry, you'll get all the credit for tonight."

Deeks scrunched his nose up. "That's a damn shame, I was hoping I could blame all the sucky parts on Hetty."

"I'm sure there'll be no sucky parts," she said.

Deeks' eye lightened delightfully, and he opened his mouth to hit the only response possible, but his partner beat him to it, holding up a finger to forestall him. "Don't even consider finishing that thought, Deeks," she informed him sternly. "Unless you want that to be strike two!"

Deeks grinned at her, before leaning forward to brush a kiss against her. Her lips were chilled from her drink, the taste of alcohol tingling on them, and sending a thrill through his being. "I'm quite happy with strike one at the moment," he said.

She pulled back from him, giving him an oddly distant look, her lips parted. "You know something?" she said softly after a moment. "That was the first time you've ever kissed me in public, where other people can see."

Deeks narrowed his eyes; that couldn't be true. They'd been sleeping together for months now, he must have kissed her at least once in all that… _No_. No, she was right. That was the first time he'd been able to show his affection for her under the prying eyes of strangers. Somehow, he thought that such a moment should have felt special, should have been historical. Instead, it just felt natural.

Blood rushed to his cheeks, and he buried his face behind his beer bottle, trying to hide it. It didn't work; Kensi spotted the blush instantly, and grinned wickedly at him.

"Don't worry," she told him, voice confident. "I enjoyed it to."

In short order, the _maître d'_ returned to inform the couple that their table was ready. They followed him through the restaurant, arm in arm. Deeks smiled inwardly slightly; Kensi was getting more than a few approving glances from men (and several women), while he himself was regarded with curiosity and more than a little jealousy. He pulled his date closer, wrapping an arm around her back and resting the palm on her hips. She gave him another of those small knowing smiles, but didn't pull away.

Their table was situated up a small flight of three steps, cordoned off by a purple rope. The area was quieter than the main section, the general hubbub of conversation muted and low. The flooring of the raised section was of deeply varnished hardwood, the tables with curved legs, and chairs with rich red cushioning. The _maître d'_ gestured to a smaller table, clearly set for two, with a thin candle set in the middle that flickered gently. There was also, Deeks was quick to notice, a single red rose in a vase.

Once at the table, Deeks pulled out one of the chairs, gesturing theatrically. Kensi snorted a laugh at him, but took the proffered seat, while he took the one opposite her. The table itself was small and round, making the whole thing seem even more intimate. Kensi ran a finger idly up and down the stem of the rose.

"At least someone knows what sort of flowers girls like," she said, a little too pointedly for Deeks' liking.

"Oh, come on," he moaned. "You know you prefer what I got you. Besides, aren't you impressed that it took me, like, three years to make that reference?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I am pretty surprised."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence at they both perused the menus. Deeks' let his eyes slide down the food on offer, before she hacked out a cough. _How much?_

"I wonder what a bowl of soup and a glass of water costs?" said Kensi, her voice high, clearly having the same thoughts running through her head.

"No, no," said Deeks, trying not to sound strangled too. "You, uh, you go ahead and order whatever you want. I need to impress you as much as I can on this date, so no… no bill is too high." _Plus_, he added just for himself, _a bowl of soup and glass of water is just what I fancy._

Kensi smiled, letting her hand slip and find his again in the centre of the table. Gently, she stroked the flesh with her thumb. "This date is for both of us, Marty," she said. "I'm more than happy to split the bill with you."

"I won't hear of it, Princess," said Deeks, pouring his determination into his voice. She blinked, surprised by the vehemence in him, before a small smile curled her lips.

"I like the assertiveness," she said, voice deep and husky. "It does wonderful things to me." He felt a shiver course through his bloodstream, heating every inch of his body.

When their waiter arrived, they ordered their food; a well done steak for Deeks, and some sort of chicken concoction with a pretentious name for Kensi. A few moments later, the man returned, carrying a metal bucket with him. He placed it by the table, and Deeks could see iced water inside, along with a bottle of what looked like very expensive champagne. He instantly recognised the label: a Krug Clos Du Mesnil 1995, which he knew came in at about $750 a bottle.

"Uh, we didn't order that," said Deeks hastily, raising an eyebrow towards Kensi. She shook her head to indicate this was the case.

"No, sir," said the waiter, popping the cork with a practised flourish. "Compliments of Miss Lange."

"That woman is seriously trying to show me up," complained Deeks.

"Don't whinge," Kensi scolded, before stage-whispering to him around the side of her hand, "Who knows, maybe she's going to pick up the whole tab?"

Deeks pulled a hopeful face, sticking both his thumbs up.

The waiter poured the champagne, before leaving the rest of the bottle behind when he departed. Kensi plucked her flute up, observing it for a moment, features thoughtful. "To us," she said, finally, holding the glass out to him. "To taking the long way round, but finally getting to the point."

He smiled, clinking the rim of their flutes together. "To us," he parroted back, grinning widely, before taking a sip. The bubbles burst on his tongue, the flavours popping as the liquid slid down his throat. It was definitely worth every cent Hetty was paying for it.

When the food arrived, Deeks was surprised by the minuscule size of the portions, especially considering the money he would need to shell out to cover it, but he wisely chose to keep his silence. Though he could tell, by the way Kensi was side-eying her meal, that she was probably thinking the same thing. He made a mental note to stop by the burger van on the way home. It might not be as swanky as this place, but it'd more than sate the ferocious appetite of his partner.

They ate their meals, and drank their champagne, the conversation between the two easy and comfortable. Deeks had worried that, as partners, they wouldn't have enough to talk about given that they already spoke to each other for an average of eight hours a day, but he needn't have worried; they told tall tales, revealed deep secrets, laughed at each others jokes, and gossiped about their co-workers. Their hands found each other over the table, fingers twining together.

As the bottle emptied, Kensi turned giggly. It wasn't exactly a side of his partner he'd seen before; she'd been drunk around him plenty of times, but she always seemed in control at those times. And certainly never girly. Her hand crept up his arm, squeezing his bicep through the cloth of his jacket. Whenever he spoke, she leant forward, resting her chin in her other hand, eyes locked intently on his. He found himself telling her things he hadn't actually thought about in years; his friends at school, wacky stories of adventures he'd gotten into with Ray. Speaking of Ray broached the subject of his father, and the conversation took a serious turn, but Kensi listened just as intently, her big brown eyes never leaving him. She smiled, almost proudly, when he spoke of breaking free of the cycle of hate he'd been forced to live in, his own voice cracking.

Then it was her turn. He held her hand as she recounted tales of life with her father. She really had been a daddy's girl; they did almost everything together, from camping, to going to the movies, to shopping. For a moment, he was envious of her. He would have given anything for a father who cared for him, loved him enough to never want to see harm come to him. But then, he remembered that she had lost the man she cared for most in the world, how he'd been cruelly torn from her, and Deeks' heart broke for the woman a across from him. He leant across the table, pressing his lips against hers.

"I love you, Kens," he said."You know that, right?"

She smiled back at him wanly, eyes quivering and a solitary tear glistening at one corner. "Yeah," she said.

After that, the conversation steered back into lighter territories, and Kensi moved her chair closer to his. Around them, the other tables had emptied, with only a scattering of customers still left in the main section. Her leg snaked out, bare calf resting against his pants-covered shin, and slowly, purposefully, she began to rub against it. Then she slipped her foot free of her shoe, adding that to the onslaught. Deeks felt a shiver rush through his body at the contact, a shiver that went right to his groin. He shook his head at her in disbelief, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Hey," she purred softly, voice so low he needed to lean forward to hear it. "You said you wanted my A Game. And this is it; this is the patented Kensi Blye first date. I told you to be careful what you wish for."

"So what usually happens next on your first dates?" he asked, voice breathy from the friction her leg was causing.

"It depends," she replied. "On what the guy is like, how he's been behaving himself."

"This is your, uh, your three strikes thing?"

"Yeah."

"And how am I doing?" he asked, leaning his head closer to hers, lips hovering the merest fraction of an inch from hers. He knew her game, and he was determined to turn the tables on her. Her heavy breath breezed against his face, her bottom lip quivering.

"You're doing…" she began, before biting that lip, flicking her gaze quickly down to his. She swallowed. "You're doing just fine."

"Just… '_fine'_?" he asked, grinning wickedly and cocking an eyebrow at her.

She let out a long breath, licking her lips. "Really good actually."

"So, if you had to rate me…?" he inquired, trailing a thumb across her jawline, before resting the pad against her chin.

"I was going to say I'd recommend you to my friends," she said. "But I kind of want to keep you to myself."

"I think I know exactly what you want," he said.

Deeks smiled, inching forward again. She parted her lips, expecting a kiss, but at the last second, he pulled away, pleased to hear a soft moan bubble from his partner. He raised his hand, waving towards the waiter. "Check please," he said, loudly.

* * *

Deeks pulled his car up to the front of her apartment, killing the engine and shutting off the lights. In the passenger seat besides him, Kensi scrunched up the wrapping, tossing it into the carrier bag. She sucked on her fingers, popping her lips together on the last one, hmmm'ing in satisfaction. The burger had hit just the right spot. Deeks had been right; he did know exactly what she needed.

"I'll tell you, Deeks," she said, "that place might have been nice and fancy, but I swear I was hungrier when we left that when we went in."

"Yeah, I know," he replied. "That's why we made that pit stop on the way back. I know how much you eat; there was no way that was going to satisfy you."

"Hey," she exclaimed. "You trying to say I eat a lot?"

"Yes, also that the Pope is Catholic."

Kensi couldn't help the pout that appeared on her lips. "I'll have you know, I always used to burn off everything because of the work we do."

"Used to?" he inquired.

She smiled, coyly. "Well, then I found other things to do with my excess energy."

He grinned wolfishly, reaching out a hand to give her bare thigh a squeeze. She felt a surge of lighting arch up her leg, into the warm spot in her core. A second later, he broke the contact, pushing open his door. Before she could reach for hers, he raced around the vehicle, opening the passenger side for her. She accepted his offered hand, letting him assist her in getting out of the car. He did, she noticed, leer slightly at the hem of her dress as she stepped out. Kensi shook her head; they may be dating, may be in love, but he was always going to be the same old Deeks. And for that, she was glad.

They walked together towards her door, the only contact between the pair being their shoulders. Deeks had his hands tucked into his pockets, his head hanging low. It took her a moment to realise that he was actually nervous. She resisted the urge to snort a laugh at that; Deeks was many things, but nervous around women was not one of them.

When they reached her door, he paused. She turned to face him, smiling up at his boyish face. "So," she said, sucking on her lips a moment. "You want to come in for coffee?"

"Coffee?" he repeated, the nerves still there but mixed with his usual banter and charm.

"Or… something?" she said, actually feeling the colour rushing to her cheeks. _For God's sake woman_, she mentally admonished herself._ You've done worse than this with him before, why are you blushing now?_

"I'd really like that," he said. "But no. I want… oh, this is going to sound stupid to you."

"Lots of the things you say sound stupid to me, Deeks," she said playfully.

He laughed then. "Touché. So, here's the thing, and feel free to kick my ass if this does sound stupid. But I want tonight to be about the date. I want my memories of tonight to be about me and you, finally out in public."

She shook her head. "That doesn't sound stupid to me," she admitted, though if she was honest with herself, right now she really wanted her and Deeks to make some different memories. But, a small part of her agreed; she'd probably feel a pang of regret in the morning. Not regret for sleeping with him, she'd never feel that. But he was right; tonight was about their first date.

He grinned. "But if you want me to come over tomorrow, we can certainly have some 'coffee' if you want."

She thumped him on the shoulder.

"Goodnight, Deeks," she told him.

"Wait," he said, stumbling over the word. "Before you go inside, we need to end this date right."

With that, he grabbed her by the hips, pulling her so that her body was flush with his. His hand snaked up to the back of her head, and he pressed their lips together. Fireworks exploded across Kensi's body, charges of raw emotion at the pressure of his mouth against hers, and a groan slipped free before she'd even realised it. She dug her fingers into his hips, tugging his groin even closer to her. Deeks sucked on her bottom lip, before letting his tongue trail across it. Her own tongue flicked out, lashing against his. In her chest, her heart raged, and her lungs caught, the breath hitching deep inside her.

After what seemed an eternity, but was certainly not long enough for her liking, he broke the kiss, but still held her tightly in his strong, comforting arms. "That was the best first date I've even been on," he said, voice thick and heavy. "I can't wait for our second."

Kensi's whole body stiffened against him. "S-second date?" she stammered. "Deeks, you know I don't do so well on second dates."

He smiled at her, so rich and warm, washing over her like the light of the sun. "Don't worry about it, Princess. It's you and me."

With that, he kissed her again, before breaking the embrace and striding towards his car. She raised a hand towards him, tempted to call his name, but snapped her jaw closed instead. She watched her partner slide into his car, wave at her idiotically and blow her a big kiss, before pulling away, the tail lights disappearing into the distance. Only then did she let herself into her apartment.

The light on her answering machine blinked impatiently, telling her she had a message. She pressed play as she slipped out of her jacket, before hearing her mother's voice; "Kensi, when you get home, call me. It doesn't matter what time, just call me. I want to hear everything about your date with Marty."

Kensi's brow furrowed. She hadn't even told her mom she was going on a date with Deeks. How was it actually possible that everyone knew everything? Still, she shrugged, grinning widely as she reached for her phone.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Second

**A/N:-** So here's the delayed chapter 2. Hope you enjoy this one. As always, many thanks for all of your reviews, favourites and follows. Not just here, but across the whole "Revenge-verse" narrative. I appreciate every last one, and feel a flutter in my gut whenever I get an email to let me know there's a new one. Also, to the guest who mentioned they might check out Level 51; if you did, would you send me a message to let me know what you thought of it? I never got any feedback for it, which is kinda why it died a death, and I really want to how it came across.  
**Rating:-** T, with mention and discussion of adult situations.  
**Disclaimer:-** I own only one character in the entirety of this chapter. It's the one that hasn't appeared on NCIS Los Angeles.

* * *

It was certainly disconcerting, having a major sense removed, no matter how momentarily. It wasn't like it was one of the minor ones either, like his sense of smell, or taste; instead, Deeks was cut off from his vision, with only inky blackness swirling before his eyes from where the thick layers of cloth was pressed. Not tightly, but enough to cut out his sight completely, not even a sliver of light seeping through from the edges.

And that meant that he was in the most harrowing situation of his life. He'd been in fire fights, had guns pressed to his head when an undercover op had gone south, when his life had hung in the balance, the slightest millimetre deciding the difference between life or death. But all of those horrors paled in comparison to being blindfolded, with Kensi behind the wheel.

"Are we there yet?" he whined, fingers reaching towards his face.

"No," she replied, sounding distracted, voice above the incessant noise of the techno music blaring from the SRX's stereo. "And if you reach for that blindfold again, I'm going to snap your fingers."

Deeks slapped his hands back down onto his lap in a heartbeat. A second later, he wished one of them was latched around a support, as the large vehicle swerved to the side and his whole body lurched into the passenger door, shoulder hitting roughly against it. He grunted.

"So, uh," he said, once he'd managed to right himself again. "I know we agreed that this date was going to be your choice and all, and you get to keep it a secret, but, uh, there's no chance you didn't sign us up for a demolition derby or anything? Is that where we are right now?"

"Hey," she snapped. "I am a great driver."

"Kensi, Sunshine, I am so in love with you that sometimes it hurts," he said, voice easy. "But the only time you're a great driver is when you need to drive defensively, cause that's the way you drive normally."

"Look here," she began, but Deeks spoke over the top of her.

"No, seriously, it's why I don't let Monty ride in your car anymore; it just aggravates his PTSD." Even with his face covered, Deeks attempted his most winningest grin, to take the sting out of the words and show his jest. But only silence greeted it (well, silence from Kensi; that god awful techno still blared). With mounting shame, Deeks realised just how tactless his choice of words had been.

"Kens," he began. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… I'm an idiot, my mouth wasn't attached to my brain. You know what I'm like, I just…" He turned his head towards the driver's side of the car, his apologetic expression covered by the blindfold.

More silence. Deeks was about to open his mouth, to apologise again, when he felt her hand on his thigh, fingers giving it a squeeze. "It's okay," she said, voice low and thick. "I know you didn't mean it. Besides, it's all ancient history."

She patted his leg affectionately, before her hand disappeared; hopefully back to the steering wheel. A second later, the SRX veered again, harder this time, slamming Deeks' head against the window.

"Ow," he moaned, hand coming up to rub against the sore spot on his skull. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"No," Kensi lied.

"It's not funny," he said. "I could have a concussion, you know? Head trauma is a silent killer. I think we need to take this blindfold off so you check my eyes, make sure my pupils are dilating properly, stuff like that."

"Stop being a baby, Deeks. Besides," she continued, and Deeks could practically hear the wide grin in her voice, "all that stupid hair of yours cushioned the blow."

"Just make sure I don't fall asleep, okay? I might not wake up."

"Shut up, or I'll do it again."

"Ah-ha," he exclaimed, one finger jutting triumphantly into the air. "So you did do it on purpose!" Despite being blinded, Deeks knew his gorgeous partner had sucked her lips into her mouth in that way she did whenever she didn't want people to see her smile. He grinned.

"So, are we there yet?" he tried again.

Kensi sighed. "Yes, for crying out loud, we're almost there. Let me just park up, okay?"

"Try not to hit anything," he said casually, expecting the retaliatory thump to his shoulder. But, just because he expected it didn't mean it didn't sting. True to her word, Kensi slowed the SRX down, creeping it forwards before steering it sharply to the left. A second later, it came to a full stop.

"Leave the blindfold on, Deeks," she warned him, before he heard the sound of her door opening, before slamming shut. _I swear_, he thought, _if she's abandoned me on some train tracks, I won't be impressed._

It was totally not fair that his partner hadn't told him where they would be going for their second official date as a couple, nor informed him as to what it was they were going to be doing. Okay, so he hadn't told her that he'd been taking her to _Le Chez_, but at least she'd know they were going out for a meal. All he'd known was that he'd needed to dress 'casual,' which meant that the suit stayed in the closet while he broke out his cleanest pair of jeans, and an old college T-shirt, slipping into a pair of sneakers. Kensi, when she'd finally arrived to pick him up over half an hour later than agreed, had been dressed similarly; wash faded blue jeans, tight form fitting black shirt, her hair clipped up loosely at the back of her skull. She'd instantly spotted his T-shirt, and inquired as to why she'd never seen it before.

"I don't like to brag about where I went to school," had been his reply. Then, his lips had curled into a devilish smile. "Besides, whenever you see a shirt of mine you like, it tends to migrate over to your apartment and I never see it again."

"Name one time that's ever happened," Kensi demanded, hands on her hips and her eyebrow raised.

"Okay, really? You really want me to go there?" he asked, cocking his head at her. "How's about my black LAPD one for starters? I got that when I was doing my training, and I'm pretty sure I haven't seen it in like a month and a half."

"Hey, mister," she said defensively. "You just happened to leave that at my place. It's hardly my fault you never picked it up."

"No, honestly, there's so much of my stuff lying around in your apartment I may as well just live there." His grin had been easy, but then he'd seen the small widening of his partner's eyes, fear quivering between them. The air between them crackled with her anxiousness. Desperate to undo the situation, he took her hands in his. "No, no, I'm …" he tried. "I was just… it's just banter, is all. I'm fine how we are, Kens; it took us long enough to get it right, I'm in no rush to change anything."

She smiled at him, a small smile that he knew meant she was still off balance. "Yeah," she began. "It's just, it's been a long time. And I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Deeks nodded, understanding. "I know. It is a bit much, really, to ask you to tidy up your apartment. That's a hell of a task."

She stared a moment, features unreadable even to him, before her face split into a big grin, teeth showing, accepting the subject amendment despite recognising it for the lie it was.

The door opening shook him from his memories, and he felt a hand grasp him by the bicep. "That best not be a mugger," he said. "I'll have you know I'm armed."

"You brought your gun with you?" came Kensi's voice from the darkness as she helped him manoeuvre his way out of the passenger seat.

"Of course," he replied as he found his feet. The ground was solid beneath him; concrete. That was a good sign, at least. He could also hear people wandering passed, chatting and laughing. A lot of people. Another good sign. "I still have no idea what we're doing; for all I know, you could have signed us up for some sort of wilderness challenge across some mountain range somewhere. Since I can't be forewarned, I decided to be fore-armed."

"Like I'd make you do something that you're that uncomfortable with," she said, voice full of faux-hurt, and he imagined she was pouting at him. "Ten minutes outside of a city and you come out in hives."

"I'll have you know I have sensitive skin," he replied. "Besides, you don't look like you have a very trustworthy face. In fact, I'd go as far as to say you look like the sort of person who is duplicitous for a living."

He felt her hand find his, fingers twining together. "You can take the blindfold off, now," she said a moment later. Deeks reached up with his free hand, slipping the silk from his eyes. Opening them gingerly, he blinked away the stinging brightness of the lights, before he got his first view of their surroundings.

He'd been right about the concrete beneath his feet. They stood in a large car park, filled with cars of every shape and colour, as groups of people filed backwards and forwards passed them, each lost in their own conversations. Behind him, at one end of the car park, was the main street running back towards the middle of the city. And before him, a squat brown-brick building, where thudding music emanated from the open door. Above the building, flashing neon lights spelling out the name of the establishment.

"Bowling?" he said. "Really? Bowling?"

"You have comments, Deeks?" said Kensi. A smile curled on one corner of her lips.

He wisely shook his head. "No, no."

She grinned fully then, before making him remove his weapon and stow it in her glove compartment where – he was interested to note – her own already was. Then, she took his hand in hers again and tugged him forcefully towards the main doors. Truth be told, it was kind of the last thing he'd ever imagined Kensi would pick for them to do together. It was so… well, it was just so normal. He'd actually imagined that they'd be spending the evening doing something atrocious, like maybe leaping out of a plane, or hunting, or at a monster truck rally like Kensi and Nell enjoyed.

"Who knows," he said aloud. "It might be fun."

She paused by the entrance, casting him a suspicious glance. "You have done this before, right Deeks?"

"W-w-what, this?" he stammered. "Of course I have, it's like a quintessential American pastime, the old ten pin bowling. What sort of life do you think I've had if you think I've never, you know, been bowling?"

"You haven't, have you?" Kensi demanded, eyes alight with glee.

Deeks held his hands apart in a gesture of supplication. Kensi grinned, leaning forward onto her tiptoes to brush her lips against his, resting her palms on his chest. "This," she said, "is going to be so much fun."

_I'm sure it will_, Deeks thought. "Shall we?" he said, proffering his arm to Kensi. She smiled, linking hers around it, and they headed for the entrance.

* * *

It had all been Nell's idea.

The simple fact of the matter was, Kensi Blye was atrocious at second dates. She knew it, accepted it. First date, she was amazing; funny, flirty, attentive. Second date, sometimes it was just hard to give a damn. It had taken her a while to realise the reason for that; she just wasn't that into the guy. She'd make the second date, not realising that the first hadn't been that good for her. Okay, so maybe it wasn't always the guy; maybe it was her too. She just wasn't ready. Especially since Jack had left her that fateful Christmas morning. She found it so hard to trust another man for longer enough to worry about her heart. That was why, since then, her life had been filled with first dates and one night stands. Since then, she'd barely ever had a second date that went well.

Until Marty Deeks. Until she'd fallen in love again, and wanted to get it right. For him, she wanted a second date, and a third, and a fourth. But the problem then became, how did she break her second date curse?

She'd thought about it for days on end since their night at _Le Chez_, since Deeks – with an assist from Hetty – had pulled out all the stops to impress her. So she'd tried to top it, but every scenario she imagined always ended in disaster.

Frustrated, she'd finally opened up about her problem to the data analyst. Nell had instantly offered her advice; "Your problem is that you're making too big a deal out of it."

"It kind of is a big deal, Nell," Kensi had replied, swivelling around in Eric's chair. Thankfully, the technical whiz was absent; she really didn't want this conversation in front of him. "I don't want to mess this up."

"The more you stress about it, the more likely it is you're going to do just that."

"Gee, thanks for the support," Kensi replied, trying to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"Look at it this way," Nell continued. "You're putting too much emphasis on the event; just do something simple and normal, like bowling, and leave the rest of the night to the two of you being yourselves."

"What if that's the problem?" Kensi asked.

Nell observed her for a moment. "Do you love him?" she asked.

Kensi felt colour flood to her cheeks, and she cast her gaze down. She hadn't admitted that fact to anyone aside from her mother and Deeks. "Yeah," she replied, eventually, voice little more than a whisper.

Nell beamed at her, seemingly on the verge of squeeing with delight. "And he loves you?"

"Yeah."

Nell made a small tilt with her head, still grinning. "So what have you got to worry about?"

Which had, of course, led her and Deeks here, to the main entrance of _Bowl-O'Rama_.

Quickly giving her date his orders to hit the bar and get the first round of drinks in, Kensi made her way to the reception to check in for their lane – pre-booked under the alias Amanda Hampton. Once that was done, she turned back to find Deeks… and stopped short at what she saw.

Deeks stood by the bar, seemingly deep in conversation with an attractive blonde woman, the pair of them laughing openly like old friends. Kensi's face twisted into a scowl; she really couldn't take him anywhere. What was worse was, as she neared, she realised the woman looked familiar. _I swear_, she thought, _if that's one of his exes, I'm not going to be impressed. _Obviously, she knew Deeks had dated a lot in the past, more so than she did, but it always seemed that they ran into his exes more than they did hers. It was hardly fair.

Deeks looked over as she approached, flashing her a warm smile. She tried to keep the jealous twist from her features – what did she have to be jealous of now? – but it was even money if she was successful. The blonde turned, smiling too.

"Agent Blye," said the woman warmly.

Kensi blinked, pulling up short. _Okay, clearly not one of his exes if she knows me by name_.

"Kens, you remember Audrey Michaels?" Deeks said, expression meaningful. He'd clearly recognised the look on her face. And just like that, it all clicked into place where she knew the woman from; she'd been the girlfriend of a murdered undercover NCIS Agent.

"Yes, I remember you," Kensi said to the woman. "How have you been?"

"Better," the woman replied. Kensi recalled the last time they'd seen her, almost close to breaking from the loss and the revelation of who the man she'd loved had been. "Some girlfriends convinced me that I needed to finally get back out there – their words – and thought this would be a great place to meet cute guys. I'm not really interested at the moment, but I was going through the motions when I saw Detective Deeks at the bar and came over to say hi." She suddenly paused, eyes widening. "Oh God, you're not in the middle of an investigation are you? I'm not ruining something?"

"No," said Deeks, looking more than a little timid. "We're, uh, we're actually off the clock."

Audrey's eyes widened as understanding dawned, and she clamped a hand over her mouth to cover her smile. "You guys are together," she said. It wasn't a question.

Kensi couldn't answer, only grinned widely at the woman while Deeks bashfully scratched at his blond locks.

"How long?" asked Audrey.

"It was, uh," began Deeks. "Around the time we met you, actually."

"Oh God," Audrey said again, smile so warm and genuine. "That's the best news I've heard in months. I'm so happy for you. Oh no, and now I'm interfering. I'm going to leave you two alone and go find my friends." She began to hurry off, before turning back and flashing them another smile. "I was right though; you two do make a really cute couple."

Just like the last time Audrey had said that, Deeks blushed.

"So what's next?" he asked after a moment.

"Next, we need shoes," she informed him.

-0-

"Wow, these are sexy," Deeks said a moment later, pulling the rented shoes onto his feet. "I can see why you insisted we do this."

Kensi sighed exaggeratedly, pushing herself to her feet and testing the feel of her own rentals. "Are you going to mock the whole thing?" she said.

"Probably."

"Well, if you are then you should probably find someone else to date."

He looked up at her, lips curled into a smug half smile. "Well, I would," he replied. "But they'd probably more than likely be upset that I was in love with someone else."

She shook her head, snorting a laugh. "You are so cheesy."

He laughed back at her, rising and sweeping her into his strong arms, pulling her close. She could feel the throb of his heart through their chests. "And yet it always seems to work with you." He leant forward, pressing his lips briefly against hers. Tingles spread warmly across her mouth, sending her heartbeat racing.

Smiling, she disentangled herself from his arms, before leading him to their lane. She quickly set up their details – 'Amanda' for her, 'Rudolph' for him – before selecting a ball. Deeks, meanwhile, was eyeing the lane with suspicion, side-eyeing the couple next to him who seemed to be getting nothing but strikes.

"So, uh," he began, "those bumper things that some of the lanes have? Any chance we can have them too?"

"Man up, Deeks," she told him, concentrating on the white pins at the end of their lane. With a smooth, polished, motion, she swung the ball, releasing it to hurtle down the alley, watching as it curled back on itself to hit the front pin. It collided with those behind it, sending them scattering. When they finally settled, only three pins remained standing.

Deeks let out a low whistle. "Is there anything you're not good at there, Lebowski?"

She gave him a smug smile. "Not really," she taunted. Then, without another word, she tossed another ball down the lane, sending the remaining pins flying. "I'm naturally awesome."

"I don't know, it looks pretty simple," he replied. "There's kids over in the corner knocking down more pins that you in one go." He headed to the small rack behind the lane, plucking up a ball. With an "Oof," he almost dropped it. "Okay," he said, "really? That's heavier than I expected."

A small smile crept onto Kensi's face as she watched her partner peruse the available balls, looking for one that fit his hand. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he'd never been bowling before. It seemed like such a normal part of growing up. Then she remembered; Deeks' formative years had been nothing like normal. Like her, he'd been forced to grow up far too soon. Still, she felt a swell in heart. After such a rough childhood, it would be so easy for him to become bitter at the world, to shrink into himself and be troubled by dark thoughts. But Deeks was nothing like that. He met the world with joy in his heart and a smile on his lips, a strong sense of right and wrong, seeing the good and the humour in things despite the darkness they encountered every day. She may roll her eyes in frustration at some of their discussion, he may annoy the hell out of her at times, and he may sometimes say a dozen words when three would suffice, but she knew he would never change and for that she was glad. It was a big reason why, the longer they'd been partners, the further in love with him she'd fallen.

The fact that he was easy on the eyes didn't hurt, either.

Deeks had finally selected a ball, cradling it in his arms. He waddled up to the line, taking a moment to observe the bowler in the lane next to him. Then he took a step back, lined himself up and threw Kensi a cheesy grin. "Watch and learn, Sugarplum" he said, before tossing the ball down the lane. Tossing was, of course, a generous term; the ball left his grip, souring though the air, before landing with a thud halfway down the lane. It bounced, careening to the left and tumbling into the gutter.

"I'm watching," she said, grinning pleasantly. "Let me know what the learning starts."

Deeks shot her a dirty look, rotating his arm at the shoulder as he awaited the return of his ball. "I'm just outta practice is all, that was just a warm up. This is the one that counts."

This time, the ball managed to stay grounded. Sadly, the only difference it made was that it rolled off the lane that much sooner. Deeks glared at the ball resentfully as a disappeared from view at the far end.

Kensi shook her head. She might not be the best bowler in the world, but this was just going to be a one-sided throbbing. _Oh well_, she thought. _Just another thing I can lord over him_. She wasn't sorry for the thought; he knew how competitive she was, and it wasn't like Deeks always made things into a challenge because he knew she couldn't resist them.

After her turn – knocking down six of the pins – she watched as he picked up his ball. "You're holding it wrong," she told him. Deeks glanced over.

"What's that now?" he said.

"The ball," she clarified. "You're holding it wrong. Here, let me show you."

A wicked grin split her boyfriend's face as she held out her hands towards him. "So let me get this straight, you're going to show me how to handle my balls?"

She rumbled a small laugh, shaking her head. "It's like you know that joke's coming," she said. "You know that jokes coming and you just can't get out of the way of it fast enough."

"You saying I'm unoriginal?" he said, offended.

"Not in everything," she said, purring playfully. She swayed her body, twirling her fingers seductively through her long hair. Finally, though, the façade dropped, replaced with exasperation. "And you're still holding the ball wrong."

"I can hold it how I want to," he retorted defensively.

"You're not going to get better if you don't let me help you."

In response, he stuck his tongue out at her. Before she could respond – she had several comments about him being a baby almost on her lips – he twirled, throwing the ball down the centre of the lane. It span down, sliding off to the right, and just barely managing to knock aside one pin before it vanished.

Deeks twisted back to her, eyes wide, warmth spreading across his features. "I got one," he cried. In that instant, he reminded Kensi of an excited puppy. Unable to stop herself, she grabbed him by the back of the head, pulling his face down and planting her lips against his.

When she pulled back, he smiled deeply at her. "Congratulations," she said, hand resting on his chest just above his heart. She could feel the reassuring thump through her palm. "But don't get cocky, that's only one pin."

"Hey," he said. "I'll have you know that's one more than last time already. It can only get better from here. Just you watch; I'm going to get at least one extra pin every time, and pretty soon I am going to be pwning the crap out of you. You're going right downtown to pwn town. El pwno. Pwn City, population; Kensi Blye."

Kensi watched. Kensi watched as the ball sailed straight into the gutter.

"Don't even say anything," Deeks said, head drooped in shame. She gave him a light squeeze on the shoulder, unable to keep the mocking laugh from her lips.

By the time his turn came again, Kensi had formulated a plan. As Deeks approached the line, she snuck up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He tried to turn in her grip, but she held him tight, body flush against his. She could feel the taught curve of his ass against her groin, and tried not to think too much about how wonderful it felt. The closeness, the intimacy, was heady; the smell of him, all sea salt and shampoo along with the unmistakable musk of man, made her brain swim for a moment before she could get it back under control.

"Stay still," she said, her lips little more than a hair's breadth from his ear. "And let me show you." She could feel his entire frame tremble against her. She released one hand, seeking out the ball in his grip. With her feet, she nudged against his shoes, making him widen his stance. Then, controlling his hand, she swept it through the proper motion, ensuring there was enough of a twist at the end to put some spin on the ball as it slipped from Deeks' grip and trundled down the lane. Together, they watched its progress, and Kensi was aware that Deeks had stopped breathing.

The pace of the ball was slow, since there had been no run up or real power behind the throw, but it trailed down the lane, bending back towards the centre of the lane just when it looked like it would sink into the gutter. Not much, though, but enough to clip the side of the pins. By the time they had finished, five of them were down.

Kensi heard Deeks breath again, and was suddenly aware that she still held him tightly, her hands laced over his stomach. As such, she could feel the erratic rumble that built in them, making her hands vibrate. It took her a second to realise; Deeks was laughing.

Joy in his voice, Deeks broke free, twisting to face her. His features were alight, a wide grin breaking his stubbled features almost in two. Laughing openly now, he grabbed Kensi by the waist, effortlessly plucking her off the hardwood floor and spinning her around and around. She squealed his name in protest, hands around the back of his neck as she held on for dear life, but soon found herself laughing too, his excitement infectious. When he finally put her down, it was only to pull her closer and slam his lips against hers. As it always did, fireworks exploded in Kensi's brain, shockwaves of electricity arcing through every fibre of her being. She sank into the kiss, opening her mouth slightly to suck on his bottom lip. Her hands stroked gently down his sides, feeling the firm muscles under his…

Suddenly aware of where they were, Kensi broke the kiss before they could go any further, pushing Deeks back. She panted, the kiss making her breathing ragged. She marvelled at how the man had such a presence on her, such an effect, then grinned when she realised his breath was laboured too. She bit her bottom lip, tasting him still on them, and a fresh shiver echoed through her body. Kensi shook her head, in disbelief. "Come on, Marty, time to play on."

His next ball wasn't as good; without her assistance, his form was better, but he only managed to hit two of the remaining pins. That didn't stop him from grinning like a buffoon over it though. She shook her head, grinning from ear to ear at him. The game continued, Deeks improving slowly with each frame, even managing to score a spare in one of them. His victorious dance she could have done without though; they were in public after all, and she chastised him for it. Inwardly she grinned; Deeks wasn't afraid to be a fool around her, or be affectionate. It was nice, to be in a relationship again after so many years. It was nice, and it was normal. And normal was something Kensi hadn't felt in a very long time. It always seemed that whenever she felt the most normal, something had happened to shatter that illusion; first the loss of her father, then Jack's disappearance. Since then, she'd always tried to stay aloof, even from those she considered her closest friends. Afraid that if she let them too much into her heart, she'd lose them.

She'd tried that with Deeks too, even from their very first meeting when she'd almost instinctively known there was something special about the man. It was especially notable because, at the time, she'd fully believed that 'Jason Wyler' was a criminal. An especially attractive and charming one, but a criminal none the less. When Deeks had been made her partner, though, his very nature meant that her efforts to remain detached were worthless; it wasn't so much that he'd worn her down and wormed his way into her heart. From the very first day, he'd bulldozed passed her defences, and it had only been three years of denial on her part that had kept them apart. Three years to realise that she loved the man with all of her heart, that she trusted him with her heart, knowing that he would do everything in his power to ensure that he never did anything to hurt it. And the best part was, for every ounce of love she had for him, she knew he returned it equally as strong. She cherished his love, letting it fan the flames of her own. It hadn't taken her long to realise that, even though she'd been engaged to the man, what she had felt for Jack paled in comparison to what she shared with Marty Deeks. It was, and she understood just how soppy and stupid it sounded, the real thing. He was The One, her Soulmate.

But that didn't mean she wasn't scared, wasn't hesitant. Love was one thing, but there were still so many things that could go wrong, could spoil what they had together. She'd been hurt before, had things end badly before, and something in the back of her spirit warned her that she would only get one shot at this.

They were heading towards the final frames of the game – the score too uncomfortably close for Kensi's liking; part due to the fact that Deeks had a couple of fluked strikes (which resulted in him doing laps of honour around the establishment, much to her equal amusement and embarrassment) and decent frames, part due to the fact he was intentionally distracting her when it was her turn – when Audrey returned, just to let them know she was leaving for drinks and dancing with her friends. Kensi, without even a second's pause, enveloped the woman in a hug.

"Thank you," she said, earnestly.

"For what?" asked Audrey, face puzzled.

"I know it sounds strange," Kensi said, "but you had a part to play in us getting together."

Audrey beamed back at her, pink flush touching her cheeks. Then she departed, taking with her Kensi's private cell number. It was true, of course; in its own small way, the day she'd met Audrey Michaels was as the core of Kensi and Deeks' relationship change, and Kensi wanted the blonde to remain part of her life because of it.

"So why are there three boxes in this last frame?" asked Deeks, when they were alone again.

Kensi explained how the tenth frame worked. His eyes gazed into the distance when she was done, and she could tell that he was concentrating on something. She smiled to herself, picking up a spare that let her have a third ball; this time, she took eight of the pins. When she turned back, Deeks was staring intently at the monitor, waiting for her total to come up. Once it had, he zoned out again, as if figuring something out in his head.

"I can still win this," he said eventually.

"Not a chance," she replied with a laugh. Deeks may have been picking it quickly, but he wasn't that good. "There is no physical way you can beat me."

"Wanna bet?" he retorted.

She raised an eyebrow at him, hearing the challenge and reacting without thinking. "Whadda'ya got, Shaggy?"

"How's about this," he said. "I win, you have to cook dinner every day for the next week. And by 'cook' I mean actually cook, not order takeout and try and pass it off as your own like last time."

Kensi coloured faintly. "You knew about that?"

"Of course I did, missy."

"So what do I get when I win?" she said, half smile on her lips.

Deeks stepped forward, body inches from hers, firm hands clamped to her hips. She trembled slightly as his warm breath teased against the skin of her cheek. "Whatever you want," he cooed, and Kensi's heart skipped a beat. She crossed her arms around the back of his neck, locking her eyes with the cool blue of his own.

"Okay, so when I win, this is what I want," she said. "Flowers, every day for a week. And real flowers, no stupid ferns."

"That's all?" he asked, voice husky and vibrating through her body and straight to the warmth forming in her core.

"No," she breathed, voice quivering. Static formed in the air between them, crackling with energy. It danced across her skin, making Goosebumps litter her flesh. "I want candles in my bedroom, rose petals on my bed sheets, and Barry White on the stereo. The works, Marty."

"Candles in Kensi Blye's bedroom, isn't that a fire hazard or something?" said Deeks, lopsided grin firmly in place.

She held finger across his lips to shush him, before leaning forward to whisper in his ear, his whole body vibrating from the tingle. "And when we leave here, we find somewhere secluded and have sex in the back of my car."

She heard the air catch in his lungs, saw his pupils dilate in shock a fraction of a second before a smile ghosted onto his lips. "That kinda sounds like we both win there," he said.

Kensi fought the smile on her own lips, not sure how successful she was. An instant later, Deeks' comforting hands left her sides, and he turned towards the ball rack with a renewed vigour.

"Okay, now I'm really not sure who I want to win," he said, almost to himself. Then he paused, turning back, understanding on his features. "Oh, really? Really, Kensi, really? I get it now, that's very funny. That's very smart of you; you're worried that I'm going to beat you, so you're trying to mess with me, trying to make me subconsciously lose so you get your way. But it's not going to work. I'm like Zac Efron, baby, I'm going to get my head in the game, and you are going to cook me dinner."

Kensi schooled her face to calm. Damn him and his ability to read her. Deeks wasn't going to beat her, but that didn't mean she wasn't willing to try and stack the deck even further in her favour. Besides, when she won, he prize would be pretty awesome.

Deeks took a moment picking out his ball. As he lifted it into his palm, Kensi couldn't help but notice his grip was slightly different. When he threw the ball down the lane, Kensi couldn't help but notice his posture and motion was smoother, his flourish more precise. And as the ball trundled towards the pins, Kensi couldn't help but notice it curve gently back towards the centre, catching the front pin just off edge and sending every last one of them scattering.

Her partner stood calmly as he awaited the return of his ball, whistling nonchalantly, inspecting his nails for dirt. Kensi recognised the sinking feeling in the pit of her gut.

The second ball had the same effect as the first. By the time he had scored his third strike, Kensi knew she'd been well and truly hustled.

Deeks watched her, face calm and unreadable. "It'll take the computer a second to tally up the scores, but I believe those three strikes – that's called a turkey by the way, also known as getting on the Oregon Trail – means that I beat you by four points."

"You lied to me," she said softly.

"No I didn't," he replied, shaking his head, a small smile tugging the corner of his lips.

"You told me you'd never done this before," she accused, voice rising.

"I said no such thing," he said, grin splitting his features now.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Her voice was calm now, emotionless. "I am going to kick your ass."

Deeks' eyes widened. "Uh oh," he said. Almost as one, they both moved; Kensi lunging for him, Deeks scampering out of his girlfriend's way, rounding the chairs, keeping them between the pair. He grinned victoriously at her. The grin slipped as he took in the focussed look on her face. He broke to the right, but as Kensi moved to intercept him, he dodged left, pulling his body away from her outstretched fingers with only seconds to spare. He laughed as he raced away, Kensi hot on his heels. She couldn't help the giggle that blossomed on her lips as she pursued him across the myriad of lanes, and back towards the bar, aware that people were watching them but not really giving a damn. She chased him into a corner, where he backed up. She approached him slowly, menacingly, the pair of them chuckling like giddy teenagers, but he managed to slip under her arms and escape.

Before he reached the bar, Deeks zagged to the side, into the arcade, weaving his way passed children and teenagers. He rounded the claw machine, looking to circle back on himself, but Kensi was an experienced Agent, and saw his ploy before he even did it, zigging aside to cut him off. She leapt, catching him unawares and sending them both spilling to the carpeted floor. They tumbled together, still laughing, until she was atop him, pinning his arms down. He grinned at her, breaking his hand free from her grip to reverently brush a loose strand of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. Their eyes locked, and energy crackled between them, and Kensi instantly remembered the first time they'd been like this; the day he'd rescued her from the explosive-riddled laser room. That had been the day, she realised, that their feelings for each other had truly begun to deepen.

"Didn't I mention," said Deeks, breathless from their brief race around the building, "that I was State champion when I was twelve?"

"No, you did not," she replied, wiping her own grin from her lips and affecting a disappointed expression. He laughed, not buying it for a second, before he raised his head to kiss her.

"You know you're beautiful when you pout?" he said.

Suddenly aware that people were watching them, Kensi coughed, before hauling herself to her feet. Rather sheepishly, she offered Deeks her hand; he took it, allowing her to pull him upright. He put his arm casually around her shoulder, ignorant of the glances from those around them, and she slipped hers around his waist as they made their way back to the lanes and their things.

Once there, Deeks pulled her close, before glancing around him as if making sure they weren't being overheard. She looked up at him, puzzled.

"Hey, uhm," he began, leaning close to whisper conspiratorially in her ear. "Even though I won, what are the chances of us having sex in your car tonight?"

Kensi clamped her mouth shut to prevent the sudden grin. A second later, once she had schooled her reactions, she arched her eyebrow at him, her face devoid of amusement. He didn't back down, only smiled patiently back at her, head tilted like a dog. She knew he was waiting on an answer, and not even changing the subject would work on Deeks every time. Kensi hooked her finger idly into the loops of his jeans, resting her hand there as she felt a flush creep onto her cheeks. She willed her heart to slow. "I think we can do that," she answered, before tugging him into a brief kiss.

In quick order, they had finished their drinks and changed back into their own shoes. As they made for the exit, Deeks pulled her close so that her head was rested against his shoulder.

"Kens?" he said, as they headed out into the cooler night air.

"Hmm-hmm," she replied.

"Did we break your second date curse?"

She smiled. "Yeah, Marty. Yeah, we did."

They walked towards her car in silence. Then Deeks spoke; "That's a pity, cause I kind of have a phobia about third dates."

Kensi laughed, thumping him on the shoulder.

* * *

The next night, Kensi returned to her apartment from her shopping expedition, arms laden with groceries._ Stupid Deeks and his stupid cheating_. Oh well, if they both got food poisoning, it was all on him. As she made her way towards the kitchen, she heard soft music, faintly echoing in the background. Confused, she followed the source through her home, hearing it grow louder as she neared her bedroom.

Senses alert, she had one hand on her SIG as she reached for the door handle. She pushed the door open. Inside, she had expected inky darkness. Instead she was greeted by the soft flick of light coming from a hundred or more candles, arranged on every available flat surface. It bathed her room in a warm glow, making shadows dance on the walls. She knew, even without looking, that the bed was covered in bright red petals, because now she recognised the music.

Sat on the chair by her dresser, Deeks smiled unabashedly at her.

THE END


End file.
